Pages

Friday, April 11, 2008

OMG OMG OMG!

It was so utterly unexpected and such a thoughtful, surprising, lovely piece of sweetness. And all I can say is thank you thank you thank you, SD! So kindlovelyfabulous! Thank you!

It arrived at the office. I opened the box. And there was a gift covered in lovely, pineapple-print paper, and a green ribbon, and a pineapple decoration on top.

Growing up in places like Bangladesh, we re-used gift wrap. And so, to this day, I infuriate people with my gift opening. I carefully peel off the tape, trying not to tear the paper. I do this with the tape on enough sides to be able to slide the contents of the package out.

Sometimes I even take off all the tape. That carefully. Even though I know that I am not re-using the paper, I cannot break myself of this habit. I then very deliberately uncrease the paper and take out the present.

Some of this is residual childhood behavior. And some is like saving dessert for last. Prolonging the pleasure.

I have had people snatch presents out of my hand and tear the paper for me. Because they just cannot bear the process.

And so I got this beautifully wrapped package. And was unwrapping the ribbon when I thought, "Crap! Do I need to wait for Nick to open this?"

"Don't be ridiculous! Presents are for the bride. Open it open it open it!"

I emailed Nick. But he's in all-day meetings. No word back.

I agonized. I really did. And then decided on a compromise. Having years of absurdly careful present-opening practice, I'd do the following: I'd open it, revel in it, and then re-wrap it. So that Nick could share the pleasure of our first gift.

And then I discovered that those gift-wrappers, they mean business. I've never faced such a firmly wrapped, strategically taped present. The damn paper was taped on both sides. I was really working at it, when I got an email back from Nick.

Saying "Of course you can open it! She's your friend!"

And it's a cheese spike! Yum! Cheese! More cheese! Because you can't really have too much cheese.

My grandmother used to save wrapping paper and reuse it. Must have been the Great Depression or something. But I am a very fastidious gift wrapper. I like to center the pattern or angel or whatever and then I work the bow around it. And every bod is perfectly chosen to offset the paper perfectly. And I always turn my edges of the paper under when I tape.